Shadows of the Dragon

Into the Mines

5

SEP/10

After the battle with the Harpies, the group had explored the entirety of the Karak load, yet had not discovered the Elemental Rift. Weary, the group decided to go to the second floor bedrooms to get some sleep. While he was on watch, Rolen was set upon by a group of otherworldly beings! When Xavier awoke, he could faintly hear the old mans birds screeching in alarm. When their attackers were defeated, the group raced down to find a well-hidden door in the floor of the prison was wide open. Continuing into the mines, they dispatched several groups of underworld denizens before coming to a wide cavern with a glowing, pulsing chasm that split the room in two. Xavier knew at once this was the Elemental Rift. On the other side, a snakelike being with a vaguely female head lay on a pile of skulls with her demonic henchmen. Her henchmen seemed unable to cross the chasm easily, so Xavier began the preparations for the ritual to close the rift. At seeing this attempt, the Queen began a vicious mental assault on the group in which Dungard was rooted to the spot, unable to move! To make matters worse, a fiery elemental blasted out of the Rift and assaulted the party with massive waves of fire. Xavier had to abandon the ritual and the entire group focused on the Fire elemental. Once it was dispatched, Xavier moved to a more defensible position and began the necessary rituals. Meanwhile, Rolen, Dungard, Tor, and Galen fought valiently to protect the integrity of the ritual. After what seemed like hours but was actually less than a minute, the rift groaned and collapsed on itself, leaving just warm rock where it had been. The heroes then stalked to the Queen who backed away, but had nowhere to go. Suddenly, a floating sword swooped from behind her and lopped off her head.